


Welcome Home

by DS_Blxck



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Afterlife, Canonical Character Death, Darth Vader Redemption, F/M, Forgiveness, Love, Memories, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Redemption, Reunion, Sad, The Force, Tissue Warning, angel - Freeform, past betrayal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:36:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24114400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DS_Blxck/pseuds/DS_Blxck
Summary: Reunion of a very guilt-ridden Anakin and Padmé in the afterlife. Set after the events ofReturn of the Jedi.ONE-SHOT.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Kudos: 48





	Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this masterpiece: https://www.deviantart.com/lisuli79/art/Reunion-an-Anakin-x-Padme-comic-611995173

_“Tell your sister… you were right.”_

These were the last words Anakin Skywalker has uttered before surrendering himself into the realm of the Force. Darkness did come, as he expected, but he was soon greeted by a blinding white light that made him raise his hand to shield his vision. He blinked a couple of times to give time for his eyes to adjust and it was only when he slowly lowered his hand that he realized, to his great dismay, that it was a flesh hand. Anakin’s breath caught in his throat as his gaze shifted to his other _real_ hand, scarcely able to believe what he was seeing. Cautiously, and almost fearfully, he brought them to his face and he let out a strangled sound that was between a gasp and a sob when he touched smooth skin and wavy, dark blond hair instead of the scarred mass his scalp had been for the last two decades. 

He looked around, taking in the beautiful gardens he found himself in. There was a path on his left made out of stone that was surrounded by exotic plants with colourful flowers. Anakin breathed in deeply, relishing their strong perfume and amazed by the fact that he could properly smell again, unhindered by the heavy breathing apparatus he used to wear. In the distance, a great waterfall was roaring, the water pooling into a large, sinuous river that flowed away from him and into a crystal clear lake that seemed to be glowing as the sun shined on it, half-hidden between thick, cotton-like white clouds. Trees on either side of him extended their branches onto the garden and the path, casting them in shadows. A graceful movement from the path pulled Anakin’s attention back from where it was drifting and he felt his chest constrict painfully as he spotted a woman – no, an _angel_ – walking towards him. Her long, curly chestnut hair in which tiny, light blue flowers and curly ribbons were pinned hang loosely around her shoulders and floating behind her as the wind gently lifted it up. She was wearing a formal dark blue dress with a floor-length skirt that flared around her ankles, making her look as if she was gliding above the ground. The sunlight pooled around her like a halo and Anakin felt his eyes fill with tears. He did not deserve to look at her, especially not after all the atrocities he has committed. He did NOT deserve it! A strong wave of powerful remorse and self-loathing hit him square in the chest as Padmé stopped a couple of steps away from him and was watching him, her face radiating love and compassion. He tore his eyes away, choosing to look at the paved path under their feet. 

“Angel… no, _Padmé_ ”, he corrected himself. 

Calling his wife “Angel” felt so right but oh so wrong at the same time. Wrong because of the twenty years he spent as Darth Vader, committing crime after crime without a second thought, without any mercy. He was the cause of the deaths of millions of innocent people, the destruction of worlds and the near-extinction of the Jedi Order. Those are all actions that will never be forgotten, nor forgiven. Especially not by Anakin himself. Right, because despite everything, despite having been shrouded in suffocating darkness, Anakin has never stopped loving her.

“Padmé”, Anakin spoke again, voice barely audible. “I am _so_ sorry… You…”

The angel took a step forward and lay a gentle hand on her husband’s forearm. Despite the warmth that spread through his newly-restored body, Anakin tensed and it took him a gargantuan effort to not back away. He felt filthy and repulsive, undeserving of any form of forgiveness. 

“Y-y-you shouldn’t be near me…” he stammered miserably. “You must… hate me!”

Padmé shook her head softly, her brown curls dancing gracefully. She delicately pressed a finger onto Anakin’s lips, silencing him.

“I don’t”, she smiled.

Anakin opened his mouth to retort but she interrupted him. 

“Yes, I used to hate you”, she explained, heart aching as he cast his eyes down and tears began streaming down his cheeks. “But not you as a person. _Never_ you. I used to hate what you became and the monster who manipulated you and tore you away from me. I used to hate to see my Ani trapped inside those chains, powerless as his pleas were ignored. I used to hate being unable to reach out to you to help you break free and come back to the light.”

She trailed her fingers down from Anakin’s face to his chest before taking both of his hands into hers. 

“What you did was horrible, but in the end you proved yourself that you’re stronger than you could ever imagine! You broke yourself free from the clutches of the Dark Side by saving our son from the same mastermind who enslaved you!”

Anakin frowned slightly and shakily met Padmé’s eyes. 

“You turned away from your master because of your love for Luke!” she explained. “That takes more courage than you think and not many are strong enough to take that risk.”

The former Sith shook his head and was about to speak up, only to be cut off once again.

“Don’t you see?” Padmé breathed. “It’s Luke’s love that allowed you to turn back from the Dark! Love was what saved you and brought you, my Ani, back to me! To us! Love is the answer, it always has been.”

Anakin stared at her as a thousand emotions passed in front of his eyes. How could she be so forgiving? She was right, as she always was. Love is the key. How foolish he has been! How foolish and blind to not see the obvious! It could have saved them, as well as the whole galaxy, decades of pain and suffering, to put it mildly, if he had only _paid more attention_ to his surroundings and not closed himself off from the one person who loved him unconditionally for who he was. The man wrapped his arms tenderly around his beloved wife in a warm embrace. The tears that were now flowing freely were tears of joy and relief. He kissed the top of her head as she leaned into him and reciprocated the hug.

“I love you, Angel”, Anakin whispered. “I always did.”

“I know”, Padmé smiled back. “Welcome home.”

*~*


End file.
